Body exerciser apparatus for the home



p 1969 A. SCHAWALDER 3,465,750

BODY EXERCISER APPARATUS FOR THFI HOME Filed July 19, 1967 INVENTOR.ALBERT SCHAWALDER United States Patent Office 3,465,750 Patented Sept.9, 1969 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE.

Exrcising or massaging apparatus comprising a support on which a standfor "the user is mounted, on opposite sides of which are arranged twopivotable hand bars biased toward one another. The hand bar's supportprojecting rollers which can be brought into massaging contact with theuser. 3

This invention relates to body exercising or massaging apparatus.

For carrying out health improving body exercises and/or for training inspecific sport specialties in the home, a line of special gymnasiumdevices for this purpose is known. Further, a line of massage devicesfor the massage of ones own body are known but massaging ones own bodywith these devices, particularly on the rumps and the legs, is verydifiicult and requires the exertion of considerable effort.

The chief object of the invention is the provision of an inexpensivebody-exercise or massaging apparatus adapted for home use occupyinglittle space that provides massaging of the rump and the legs withlittle effort, and that may also afford an exercising action.

This and other objects of the invention are achieved with apparatuscomprising a frame or support constituting a stand for the user. Mountedon the support on opposite sides of the stand are two hand bars arrangedto move or pivot about an axis, preferably horizontal, and which arebiased by resilient means toward one another. The hand bars supportprojecting massage rollers, which can be brought by the user against hisown body to effect a massaging action.

One exemplary embodiment of the invention'will now be described ingreater detail with reference to the accompanying drawing wherein: FIG.1 is an elevational view of one form of body exercise apparatus of theinvention in use; FIG. 2 is a top view of apparatus of FIG. 1; and FIG.3 is a detail view of a variation.

The embodiment of the apparatus of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1and 2 comprises two parallel tubes 1, for example of metal, which aresecured together through cross-braces 2 to form a rigid frame. From theends of the tubes 1 rubber-tipped extension rods 3 extend which, whenthe device is not in use, can be telescoped inside the tubes 1. Ifdesired, the extension 3 and tubes 1 can be arranged as a solid unit.Between the tubes 1, in the longitudinal direction thereof, a footstandor platform 4 for the user is provided. In the embodiment illustrated,this footstand is formed as .a pivotable or tiltable stand rotatableabout a horizontal shaft 5 on which it is journaled. If desired, thestand 4 could also be rigidly fastened between the tubes 1 and serve asthe bracing means.

On opposite ends of the frame tubes 1, two U-shaped bars or hand grips,for example metal, 6 and 7 are mounted so as to be rotatable orpivotable about a horizontal axis. A pair of resilient means 8 in theform of tension springs are connected between the handgrip 6 and theframe 1, and a like pair of resilient means 9 is connected between thehandgrip 7 and the frame 1. Both of the hand grips 6, 7 through theaction of the springs 8 and 9 oppose one another. Each of the handgrips6, 7 has a bend or kink 10, 11 at the same height. At this kinkrotatable roller supports 12, 13 are mounted, the ends of which carry apair of massage rollers 14. As shown, the four massage rollers 14 may beconcavely formed in order to better fit the body for massage. However,they can also be formed as simple cylinders.

Instead of providing two rollers 14 on the ends of each of the rotatableframes 12 or 13 on each grip 6 or 7 as in FIG. 1 or 2, as shown in thevariation according to FIG. 3, each handgrip 6 or 7 also can carry onlyone massage roller 14 which is mounted at the kink 10 or 11 to projectinto the space between the grips 6, 7.

It is understood that during non-use of the apparatus shown, bothhandgrips 6, 7 with their massage rollers 14 are urged together by thesprings 8, 9. They are preferably arranged so as to fold downward acrossone another to provide a compact collapsible unit taking up littlestorage space.

In the use of the apparatus, the handgrips 6, 7 are grasped at the topor bight portion 15 of the U-shaped members, as shown, and are pushedapart against the action of the springs 8 and 9. The user positionshimself upright in the position shown standing on the footstand 4between the grips, so that the massage rollers 14 are pressed againstthe sides or the front and rear of the user according to the positionselected. Holding his body stiffly, the user tilts his body or throwshis weight against one set of rollers into the inclined position shownin phantom in FIG. 1. As a result, the massage rollers 14 of one of thegrips glide upwardly along the hip and the massage rollers of the othergrip glides downwardly along the hip and thereafter along one leg of theuser to execute a massaging action. Through the spring pressure of theoutwardly swung grip, which spring pressure is chosen to approximate theweight of .a grown person and which if desired can advantageously bemade adjustable, the user is upon reaching a certain inclined positionpushed back by the spring action into the upright original position andhe can then let himself fall back into the opposite inclined position toeffect a second massaging stroke, and so forth. Thus, with surprisinglylittle effort, as a result of the movement impulses which arise from theworking of the springs coupled with a light pull on one handgrip and alight push of the other hand on the grips 15, the user can obtain asurprisingly effective massaging action. The simultaneous rolling actionon the body effected by the four rollers affords a uniform kneading ofthe body that simulates a hand massage which has been found effectivefor firming, toning and slimming the body at selected areas and which isgenerally useful for reducing purposes.

While the pendulum or rocking motion of the user from side to sideassisted by the spring action offers the advantage of enabling themassaging action to be carried out while the apparatus rests on thefloor without undue tiring of the user, it has also been found that therigid positioning of the users body in the side-to-side inclinationexercises the stomach muscles, which can be enhanced by the userrotating his body or turning on the footstand while rocking from side toside. Simultaneously with this gymnastic exercise the massage actionfollows along the length ofthe body with a deep-working and intensivepull and stroke massage, with the result that the use of this machinecan at the same time strengthen the abdominal muscles and massage thefat padding on the rump and the legs.

If desired, the machine can be more accurately fitted to persons ofdifferent sizes by making the grips 6, 7 adjustable lengthwise wherebythe contact points of the massage rollers on the body of the user can bevertically adjustedJThemassage rollers -14 can be-rotat alile'or-nonrotatable brushes or other known cylindrical bodies, of

flexible or of rigid material for example of plastic rubber or metal,useful for effecting the desired massaging action.

The four roller arrangement as shown is preferred as the kneading actionis more uniform and a larger area of the body can be covered. The rollermounts 12 and 13 are journalled at the kinks 10 and 11 for free rotationwithin the grips 6 and 7, preferably so as to clear ,the users hands.Though the roller frame 12 and 13am shown slightly bent toward the user,they. can alsojbe straight, provided that the roller diameter issufficient to prevent the user from contacting the frames. While springs8 and 9 are illustrated, other resilient means, such as, for examplestrong rubber bands, can be substituted. Though the inventive apparatushas been described for home use, it is of course understood that-it-i salso suitable as professional equipment for gymnasiurns and the like.

What is claimed is:

1 Body massaging apparatus comprising a support for the user to standon, movable means on opposite sides of the support adapted to be graspedby the user, massaging means mounted on the. movable means in a positionto engage the body of the user, and means for biasing the movable meanstoward each other, whereby by a rocking action resisted by the biasingmeans the user can impart a massaging action to his body.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the support comprises aframe provided with a footstand for receiving the user, the movablemeans comprise a pair of hand bars, mounted on the frame on oppositesides of thefoots'tandfor ro'fa on'abouta horiiontal axis, and themassaging means comprises rollers mounted on the hand bars in a positionprojecting toward the user.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the biasing means areconnected between each hand grip and the frame.

41 Apparatus as set-forth in claim 2 wherein the hand grips-a'reUrshaped'and bent along their sides forming inwardly projectingportions, saidrollers being mounted on the latter) portions. h

'5. Apparatus asset forth in c'laim'4 wherein the massaging meanscomprise a rotatable frame mounted on the projecting" portion of eachhand bar each carrying a pair of horizontally-arranged inwardlyprojecting rollers.

6. Apparatus as set forth in'claim 1 wherein the support is pivotableabout a "horizontal axis.

' References-Cited a UNIT D [S ATES PATENTS 1 ,129302 W.?"TRA'PP,Primary Examiner I g 'U.S. c1. X.R.

